Private schools - do any of them allow a relaxation of the dress code in summer?

[gingerfrizz]

Just to preface this by saying that I don't condone rule breaking or rebellion against school rules, but eldest daughter is struggling in the hot weather to stay 'done up' as the school dress code demands. On the warmest days I did help her to do her tie with the top button undone but hide it with the knot, but she was worried that it would become visible.

I just wondered whether it was usual form for normally strict schools to allow pupils to do this, and whether anybody else assists in this surreptitious 'rule breaking'?

How about contacting the school and asking if students can be excused from wearing ties during the hot weather.

In the absence of air conditioning wearing ties is ridiculous when it is hot. Students probably have seven layers of fabric round their neck.

Surely a bit of flexibility is possible from a school? No ties for two weeks, decision to be reviewed weekly? It should be possible.

At my DS boys only full boarding school permission is granted for the boys to remove their ties and jackets undo their top button and roll up their sleeves they cant have a mixture its this or ties and jackets. At two other well known boarding schools I visited tis week the children were wandering around with no blazers ties jumpers etc. But at a well known day school I was also visiting on the hottest day so far a mother was telling me that the junior school boys were not allowed to remove either their jumpers or ties and senior school were not allowed to remove their blazers or ties. The female staff were wondering around in sun dresses, the building was very old and their was no air con. utter madness IMO!

empire - I think I know what the answer would be if I asked.

Wearing ties to school is ludicrous and a complete and utter anachronism.

At my ds's school there's a summer rule, they inform you by text day by day if it applies, no ties, no blazers. They also are relaxed in that although there is a summer uniform - short sleeves/shorts, you can continue to wear winter uniform if it's cold and shorts any time of year you want. At the dd's school, it's summer dresses anyway, but when it was cold at the beginning of term they were all allowed to wear winter uniform or tights with their summer dresses.

Sounds like your school is being a bit rigid for modern times - we're not training them for the colonies anymore! Time to get the parents together to protest? You can't learn if you're about to faint from heat exhaustion.

My DP (CEO) never wears a tie to work anymore, nor do any of his friends and colleagues.

Ties are for funerals only these days.

It's a fee paying school so protest would result in the school just staying 'go elsewhere' surely?

I think DD might have to just put up with it.

Does anybody have a foolproof way of tying a tie and hiding an undone top button?

My kids also fee paying, but you are their customers and while I don't expect the school to change every rule when one parent goes in and has a whine, I would expect that if enough of you get together and put it to them sensibly, they should at least listen and consider? I'm sure you aren't on your own thinking it's mad.

There is never a foolproof way of hiding uniform customisation, they are always on the lookout for that. And if they take a blind eye policy, then they'd be better off changing the policy and keeping it uniform, surely?

Mine didn't, in winter we were cold in summer too hot. Apparently it was character building

In all seriousness, does a slightly loosened tie really look that bad?

Don't call it a 'relaxation' of rules.

Our school is the same as happygardening's. We are very strict on uniform and in summer follow the army rule of "shirt sleeve order"; it is not a relaxation, it is a different set of rules. They have to do jacket off, tie off and sleeves rolled above the elbow - you can't mix and match between winter and summer rules eg jacket on but tie off.

Your DD wearing a collar and tie is apeing male clothing therefore the male dress code of short sleeve order should also apply. Slay 'em with logic.

My DSs prep school does allow shirt sleeve order when it is hot, which sensible. I think it is announced at assembly at the beginning of the day. However, at the end of the day they have to put blazers and ties back on to walk out the door and walk 20 across the playground to the waiting parents cars, which I think is rediculous.

I don't think you will find many private schools taking the line of "if you don't like it, take your DCs elsewhere". That attitude is most often found in oversubscribed state schools, especially superselectives.

As other posters have said you are the customer and they would be mad to ignore the concerns of parents.

I'm not sure whether any others have the same concerns though, or what other girls do.

DCs school has said "if you don't like the uniform rules go elsewhere", it is an oversubscribed Comp. They have been excused Blazers, but still need ties and top buttons done up. After half term they can wear house shirts, which are Polo-shirts.

I would share your concerns if mine DC?s were expected to wear completely inappropriate clothes in hot weather. No one can be expected to work effectively if they are over heating because its 85 degrees outside and you sitting in a jumper and blazer.
mummytime I?m interested by you schools uniform code. I?ve always been lead to understand that if you remove your jacket you always remove your tie, roll up your sleeves and undo your top button but maybe I?m more old fashioned than I like to think I am!
I understand (but I might be wrong as it?s a boarding school and ultimately I completely clueless about the day to day running of the school) that the boys at my DS?s school are told that its ?short sleeve order? and that they stay in this until instructed otherwise. To be told on a daily basis what you can wear also seems completely ridiculous.

our school has a summer uniform. Younger girls swap kilts for summer dresses (with jumpers if they are cold) older girls swap to short sleeve blouses with their kilts. Boys can wear shorts and short sleeve shirts, on extremely hot days the headmaster will give them permission to remove ties, this is done in assembly so all the boys know.

I've not come across the concept of shirt sleeve orders either. DC's are often allowed to remove blazers but must have ties on and properly done up.

At DSs school the boys always have to wear blazer and tie except when the school officially declares 'shirt sleeve order' but even then boys are only allowed to take blazer and tie off if they are wearing a white short sleeved shirt with the school logo on the pocket.

Girls have a light summer dress they are allowed to wear in summer term and first half of autumn term.

Are there any schools where they do allow something as simple as just slackening the tie a bit?

I don't know about senior school but my DC's prep school lets them take their ties off and undo their top buttons in this weather.

They have to go into school in blazers and wear it when coming out at the end of the day but the minute they're out of the playground it's off.

Even our state primary school insists on ties for the boys, although they can have short sleeves and no jumper. Not really a problem.

I was also very interested to note that my OH has been going to work (Inhouse lawyer in company on edge of City) without a tie. He says that ties are just not the done thing now...

Ds's school has a summer uniform. Which is lighter weight shorts, and a summer shirt with no tie plus short socks. They can wear their jumper if cold. No other mixing and matching though.

Surely it would be either full uniform, or planters; not some weird hybrid?

We had hideous summer dresses when I was at (fee paying) senior school so were comfortable and smug compared to the boys at the school next door.

DC's prep school don't wear ties anyway, except on special occasions, so are normally to be found in chinos and short sleeved shirts (boys) and summer dresses (girls) in summer - far more representative of the real world, IMHO. They all moan like hell when some occasion demands that they spend all day in their "suits" (tweed jackets with shirt and tie, grey trousers for boys, kilts for girls)